Blind woman left stranded after guide dog paperwork mix up

For 12 years Joanna Jones, 34, has flown with the airline alongside her guide dog Orla and has never been asked for official papers to prove Orla is a guide dog.

Joanna had flown from Belfast to Gatwick last week with her dog on a different airline to visit her mother who lives in Hampshire.

But it was a different story on her return. Joanna, whose flights were booked months in advance, made a phone call ten days before flying to check her special assistance was booked and she said the airline knew she was travelling with a guide dog.

“I was first asked if I had a passport for her - which you don’t need when you’re travelling domestically, that’s only for travelling abroad,” said Joanna. “I was then asked if I had any type of paperwork to prove she was a guide dog, which I don’t. So I pointed to her harness and the tag on her lead and collar and to the fact that I am obviously blind.

“They went back to speak to people in head office and came back and said that if I didn’t have the paperwork, I wouldn’t be allowed to fly.”

Joanna eventaully flew home on Monday after easyJet was contacted by the Guide Dogs Association in Belfast and the airline transferred her to another flight.

“EasyJet were looking for an official document and I was never given one. They didn’t ask for that when I booked” she pointed out.

“I was frustrated and angry, which is why I sent a tweet telling everyone online what was happening to me. My mum was with me, luckily. I would have been stranded without her. I’m also overwhelmed by the thousands of messages I’ve received on Twitter.”

Joanna urged the airline to adopt a different approach to visually impaired customers in future and called for the issue of documentation to be reviewed.

“I’ve been told easyJet has issued an apology but nobody has spoken to me directly” Joanna said. “I believe Guide Dogs in Northern Ireland need to act on this too. Some form of ID card for me and my dog would be appropriate.”

Joanna is thankful to be back home with Orla and fiance Barry Toner, who said he experienced a similar problem last year. EasyJet’s Andrew McConnell said the airline welcomes hundreds of passengers travelling with guide dogs each year.

“In line with Civil Aviation Authority guidelines, easyJet’s regulations make clear that documentation must be carried showing that they are a trained guide dog,” he said.

“Guide dogs receive intensive training from accredited organisations, eg Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, to ensure that they can cope with the conditions onboard an aircraft.

“This is to protect the safety and security of the passenger, their guide dog and all other passengers. In this case, unfortunately Miss Jones did not have this documentation with her and by the time it was faxed through she missed her flight.

“EasyJet staff offered every assistance to Miss Jones and transferred her free of charge onto the first available easyJet flight.”

Guide Dogs’ transport policy officer, John Welsman, said he understood Joanna was upset, but that the airline was correct.

He said: “Those rules are in place to protect passenger safety, and we would remind all our guide dog owners to carry their ID cards with them at all times.”